Rule Number 12
by dnachemlia
Summary: A simple decision can change everything. AU for the end of Season 2 and the beginning of Season 3.
1. Chapter 1

**Rule Number 12**

Written for the NFA Missed Opportunity and Kiss Me, Kate Challenges

_Characters: _Kate, Gibbs, Tony, Tim, Abby, Ducky, Jenny and Ziva

Pairing: It's a surprise ;)

_Rating_: FR-15/T

_Genre_: AU/Angst/Drama/Romance/Friendship

_Summary_: A simple decision can change everything. AU for the end of Season 2 and the beginning of Season 3

_Disclaimer_: All recognizable characters are the property of their respective copyright holders. No infringement intended. The original characters and places mentioned are the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to those living, dead, or undead is completely coincidental.

My muse has lost her mind. I have no other explanation.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 1<strong>

"Kate!"

Special Agent Caitlin Todd looked up and smiled at the man, dressed in a well-cut suit and carrying a briefcase, who was walking towards her.

"Jason! Long time no see." She rose to greet him and extended her hand. "How have you been?"

Jason clasped her hand in his and gave her a quick peck on the cheek before settling into a chair at the small café table as Kate returned to her own seat.

"Can't complain. Can't complain at all."

"How are Maria and the girls?"

Jason grinned and pulled a leather wallet from his pocket, opened it and pulled out a plastic photo holder which he handed to Kate.

"Wow. Janie's getting big." Kate examined the pictures, barely managing to hide a twinge of jealousy as she studied the young smiling faces.

"Growing like a weed. She starts kindergarten this fall. "

Kate laughed softly. "I remember when she was just a baby. Time flies, doesn't it?"

"It does indeed. So how are you doing? How's NCIS?"

"I'm good. NCIS is good. Challenging, but good." She studied him for a brief moment. "I understand you quit the Service to go into private security."

He grinned. "I have. Best decision I ever made. And that's why I wanted to talk to you. I think it would be a good decision for you, too."

Kate's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Really?"

Jason laughed at the skeptical tone she had been unable to contain. "I know, you think it's just babysitting a bunch of rich idiots, and sometimes that _is_ the case, but there's a lot more to it. Someone with your skills would be an asset."

"My skills? You mean as a profiler?" He nodded. "Let me guess: pre-employment screening?"

"More like threat assessment, but there's a bit of the screening stuff in there, too." He smiled at her incredulous expression. "Look, Kate, this job is about more than guarding a few profiteers; it's about protecting our non-military interests around the globe. You'd still be helping your country, and I know that's important to you."

"It's not really the same, Jason."

"Yeah, but it has a much better benefits package." He opened his briefcase and pulled out a dark folder, which he handed to her.

"What's this?"

"Job offer."

"Jason…"

He grinned. "Just read it."

Kate sighed and opened the folder, her eyebrows rising as she skimmed the first page. "Wow. That's… very generous."

"Capitalism has its perks."

"So I see." The salary alone had given her pause. "But what makes you think I'd be right for the job?"

"I worked with you for years, Kate. I know you…and I've been keeping tabs on you since you left the Service yourself. You'd be a great fit with the company, and I think you'd find it very rewarding. So, when can you start?"

Kate barely managed not to roll her eyes at the cocky grin her old co-worker was giving her. "It's not that simple, Jason."

It was his turn to show surprise. "Oh? Why is that?"

"Because…it's not just me I have to consider in the decision."

Jason started at her for a brief moment before a genuine smile spread across his face. "You're seeing someone?"

"It's…complicated."

The smile disappeared. "You're not dating your boss, are you?"

Kate snorted softly. "No. Not _that_ complicated." He gave her a quizzical look and she sighed. "We haven't…officially started dating."

"Well, why not?"

"Rule number 12." He raised his eyebrows. "'Never date a co-worker'. My boss's rule. First one he gave me before I even started working for him."

"So, you're…not officially dating a co-worker." Jason considered that for a moment and grinned. "Looks like this would solve one problem, wouldn't it? I don't have that rule, and he'd no longer be your co-worker. Sounds simple enough to me."

Kate had to admit he had a point. She returned her attention to the folder and started to read more carefully. "Sounds like it would involve really long hours."

"Yeah, but you're used to that." She looked up at him, the question clear in her expression. "As I said, I've been keeping tabs on you…and your boss has quite a reputation, too."

"Biggest bastard on the eastern seaboard?"

"Pretty much, yeah."

"He'd be happy to hear that." She continued to read. "Where is the job based?"

"Here in D.C. You wouldn't even have to find a new place to live. Unless you wanted to, that is. You'd be doing a lot of traveling, of course, but you'd still be in D.C. enough that you still be able to spend time with the guy you're not officially dating." He leaned forward with an earnest expression on his face. "It's a great opportunity Kate. At least tell me you'll give it some serious thought."

She slowly closed the folder and placed it on the table in front of her, her gaze focused on the cover as she considered everything she had read. "I'll still need to discuss it with…my co-worker."

"I understand, and I'm willing to give you some time, but I will need to know as soon as you reach a decision."

"I can do that." She managed a smile. "Thank you, Jason, for thinking of me on this. You're right, it is a great opportunity. I…I'll let you know."

He smiled and patted her hand. "I'll be waiting for your call. If you have any more questions…" He handed her a business card with a hand-written number on the back. "I'll be happy to answer them." He checked his watch. "I need to get going. It was great to see you again, Kate, and I really hope to hear from you soon."

"It was good to see you too, Jason. Thanks for…for everything."

He stood, gave her another peck on the cheek, and headed off in the direction from which he had arrived. She leaned back in her chair, closed her eyes, and sighed.

Kate loved her job, she really did, but she had to admit there were things she didn't have now that she truly wanted, not the least of which was the freedom to openly be with the man that had captured her heart. But could she deal with not seeing him every day? Could she handle not being there, helping to keep him safe in the dangerous job that he truly loved as well. It was certainly something to consider.

After several minutes had passed, she pulled out her cell phone and pressed the first number on her speed dial.

"Hey. It's me. Yes, I'm fine. Listen, I need to talk to you. Meet me at our usual place. Twenty minutes? That's great. See you then."

She closed the phone and slipped it back into her purse as she thought back to the event that changed everything. The single, seemingly minor incident that had caused her to re-think her opinion of someone she had thought she knew, and how that had changed her life for the better…

TBC


	2. Chapter 2

Rule Number 12

**Chapter 2**

_***two months earlier***_

"Would you guys stop!"

Kate and Tony paused, surprised by their co-worker's tone. They immediately ceased their impromptu food-fight and walked over to McGee's desk to see what he was writing.

"'_Dear Mr. and Mrs. Kendall'_…It's a sympathy note." McGee glared at Tony, clearly expecting the normal teasing he received from the senior agent on a daily basis. Instead, Tony's response was thoughtful. "That's nice, McGee."

"It's very nice," Kate added, receiving a hint of a smile from the young man who had experienced a very difficult week. After a few moments, McGee returned to his task as Kate and Tony started to clean up the bits of food scattered around the bullpen. Once the area was relatively clean, they returned to their respective desks to finish their paperwork from the case. As she worked, Kate kept an eye on McGee. She could tell that the act of writing such a letter, to express the regret he had fought to keep contained, was taking its toll.

Soon Tony left, surprisingly quiet in the wake of McGee's outburst, and Kate approached McGee's desk.

"Hey, Tim. When you're finished with that, do you want to go get some coffee?"

McGee looked up, clearly surprised by both the uncommon use of his first name and the offer.

"Why?"

"Because you look like you need to talk." She placed a gentle hand on his shoulder. "You look like you need a friend."

Kate was sure that McGee would decline, but instead he surprised her. "Yeah…I guess I do. On both counts."

"Good. Let me know when you're ready to leave."

McGee merely nodded and went back to his note while Kate returned to her desk, glad that she would be able to lend more moral support to her co-worker.

An hour later they were seated in Kate's favorite café, interacting like they had known each other for years. Kate was surprised at how easy it was to talk to McGee, and how much she enjoyed listening to him. By the end of the evening she was surprised to discover that she had indeed gained a new friend, and she got the distinct impression that he was appreciating the new feeling of friendship as well.

For the next few weeks, Kate and McGee would meet to have coffee and talk. During those sessions she learned a great deal about the younger man, and much of what she discovered both impressed her and endeared him to her. She had never known someone like him before, and his way of viewing the job, his prospects, and the world in general was refreshing. He lacked the cynicism that colored the views of many of the people she knew who worked for the government or in law enforcement. He was intelligent, more than a little 'geeky', but his enthusiasm for a wide range of topics was infectious, and she learned more about his world –computers, theoretical math, and biomedical engineering—than she ever could have gained on her own. He shared many of the same political views that she held, but he wasn't overly vehement about them, and he wasn't worried about impressing anyone with his athletic prowess, as had many of the men with whom she had worked and spent time over the years. He was polite, mannerly, and, when he was not around Tony, a perfect gentleman. She counted herself lucky in that she had not missed the opportunity to cultivate his friendship.

Until the day she discovered that she was no longer thinking of him as just a friend.

They were sitting outside at their usual meeting place, enjoying the first real day of warm spring weather. Tim-as she now regularly called regularly when they were not at work—was talking about one of his favorite comic series. A couple of weeks prior she had confessed that she had been in the habit of 'borrowing' her older brothers' comics when she was a kid, and Tim had been surprised and delighted to have found someone with whom to discuss the genre.

As he was talking—in his usual level of animation—Kate noticed that she was not just focusing on his words, but his also on voice, his face, and his beautiful green eyes...and that she was _very_ attracted to the man seated across from her…and there was a _lot_ more. She let out a small gasp and sat back, stunned by the realization. Tim noticed her reaction and paused, his eyebrows crinkling together in confusion.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh, uh, nothing." She gave him what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "I just remembered…that I need to call my sister. We need to plan for my parent's anniversary celebration. They've been together for forty years, and we've been talking about having a party for them." She immediately felt guilty for the white lie and hoped that she hadn't hurt his feelings.

"Oh. OK, I understand." She was fairly sure she heard disappointment in his tone. "I should probably call my sister, too. She's waiting to see if she got into Waverly, so I guess I should see if she's heard anything yet. "

"All right. I guess I'll see you at work tomorrow, then?"

He smiled. "Guess so." He signaled for the waiter and asked for the check. "My turn to pay this time, right?"

"Actually, I think it's mine." She pulled her wallet out of her purse and handed him a couple of bills." I really need to get going. Can you…?"

"Sure, no problem. See you later."

"'Bye, Tim."

"'Bye, Kate."

She gave him one last smile and hurried off, making the trip back to her apartment in near record time. She did intend to call Rachel, but she had a very different topic of conversation in mind.

When she finally reached her apartment, she kicked off her shoes and settled onto her sofa before picking up the phone and dialing a familiar number. After three rings a welcome voice finally answered.

"_Hello?"_

"Hi Rach. It's me."

There was a moment of silence before her sister responded. _"What's wrong?"_

Kate managed a soft laugh. "What makes you think something's wrong?"

"_Well, it's not your usual calling time, and you sound a little off. What's going on?"_

"Oh, not much. I think I've just complicated my life."

"_How so?"_

Kate sighed. "You're a shrink. What advice would you give one of your patients if…they accidentally fell in love with a co-worker?"

Silence. After a few moments, Kate heard muffled voices and a door being shut on the other end of the line. Finally she heard Rachel's voice.

"_Please tell me you haven't fallen in love with Agent Gibbs."_

This time Kate let out a bark of genuine laughter. "No, not Gibbs."

"_Then who… DiNozzo?"_

Kate groaned. "God, no. It's…it's Tim."

"_McGee? I thought he was dating…Abby?"_

"He was. Before he joined the team, but…I don't think he still is. At least not officially."

"_I see what you mean about complicated. So, how did you come to this realization? And how did it happen in the first place?"_

"We…we're friends. We've been spending time together recently. He needed someone to talk to, and…it kind of snuck up on me."

"_Does he feel the same way?"_

"I really have no idea. It just…hit me. Today, in fact, and…I could really use some advice, Rach."

"_Well…you're an investigator, right? Seems to me like you have some questions that need answered: does he feel the same way, or is he still involved with Abby?"_

Kate let out a frustrated sigh. "You're right. I do need to find that out, and…Abby is my friend, too. I don't want to make things awkward."

"_You might also want to ask yourself if what you're feeling is real."_

That question was surprisingly easier to answer. "It is. I couldn't tell you how I know that, but…I just know." Kate sighed again. "But even if _he_ feels the same way, there's another problem: Rule Number 12."

"_Your boss's rule? Never date a co-worker?"_

"That's the one." She chuckled ruefully. "I never thought I'd be thinking about breaking that one, to be honest."

"_Neither did I, but if you're considering it… that tells me that you're serious about this guy. Is he worth it?"_

Kate smiled. "I believe he is."

"_Well then you'll figure something out. Right now I think you have some homework to do, young lady."_

The laugh Kate managed was genuine. "I think you're right. Thanks for the advice."

"_I'll send you a bill,"_ Rachel replied with a laugh of her own. _"Let me know how it turns out, OK?"_

"I will. Love you."

"_Love you too, Sis. 'Bye."_

"'Bye."

Kate placed the receiver back on the cradle before she leaned back on the sofa and closed her eyes. She now had a goal, a list of things that she had to handle, and she mulled over how she would go about dealing with the first thing on her list: Abby.

TBC…


	3. Chapter 3

Rule Number 12

Chapter 3

Kate's chance to talk to Abby came just a few days later. They had just put a case to bed and she suggested going out for drinks, just the two of them. Tony had already announced that he had a 'hot date' planned, and Tim quietly declared that he was going home to get some much needed sleep, so Abby and Kate were on their own, much to Kate's relief.

Kate had spent a lot of time over the previous few days worrying what Abby's reaction would be if she figured out Kate's feelings towards Tim, as well as what Tim's reaction would be if she decided to confess those feelings to him as well. She feared that she would lose not just one valued friendship, but two, and the stress was starting to take its toll.

The bar they chose was close to the Yard, catering more towards the typical government worker and therefore considerably more quiet than the dance clubs that Abby preferred. They were able to find a relatively quiet booth and Kate managed to relax a little after they had ordered drinks and appetizers. Abby wanted to talk about the case they had just finished so by the time their drinks arrived they had settled into a comfortable conversation. Kate carefully managed to steer the topics away from the case, and eventually the subject of dating arose. Kate lamented on the fact that with the time constraints of the job, she hadn't been on a 'real' date in months. To her surprise, Abby admitted that she hadn't been dating, either, which gave Kate her opening.

"Really? I had the impression, that, well, you and McGee…"

A sad smile crossed Abby's face as she shook her head. "Not since he joined Gibbs' team. We were kind of on the way out before that, but…that pretty much ended the possibility of staying together. We're just friends, now."

Kate studied the other woman, her heart sinking. "And you're regretting that."

Abby glanced up, clearly surprised by the statement. "Oh, no. I'm OK with it. Really."

"You sure?"

She smiled. "Yeah. We're better as friends, really. I mean, Timmy is great, and all. He's smart, and he _gets _me, you know? But…we want different things." She sighed, and for a moment she looked her age. "I know that, in the end, I couldn't give him what he really wants. I know I'll never be able to do the whole married, 2.5 kids, white picket fence life. I made that choice a long time ago. My career comes first, and it always will."

"Aren't you afraid you'll be missing out on something?"

A pensive expression arose on her face as she remained silent for several moments. "Sometimes. I mean…I did have the opportunity to, you know, take our relationship somewhere. Tim even asked me where it was going. I told you about that, remember?" Kate nodded. "But I wasn't ready for anything serious then, and… I know that type of commitment isn't for me. I want the freedom to advance, to have the time I need to be the best forensic scientist I can be…and that's the commitment I've made. I don't have time for a family."

"But aren't you afraid that you'll look back some day and regret that decision? That's you've lost your chance to have him in your life?"

Abby laughed. "He's still in my life, Kate. He always will be. That's the best part of staying friends."

"And does he feel the same way?"

"It was a mutual decision, Kate. I promise. I think we…will always have love _for_ each other, but we're not _in_ love with each other. Does that make sense?"

"I guess it does…"

"Besides, I think he's found someone. He's been really happy lately, and…he has that _look_, you know?"

Kate felt herself start to blush. Was it possible that Tim _did_ feel the same way that she felt?

Kate looked up to see that Abby was watching her with a curious expression and suddenly the Goth's eyes widened almost comically. "It's you! You're the one Timmy's been seeing."

Kate felt her cheeks start to burn with embarrassment. "Abby, I'm sorry, I—"

Abby gasped and grabbed Kate's wrist as her face broke into a wide grin. "That's great! You two are _perfect _for each other."

"What?"

"No, really. You both want the same things, right? I know you want a family, and Tim wants a family, and you both know what your jobs are like, so there won't be any resentment over how much time you spend at work, and—"

"Abby!" Kate couldn't help but smile at her friend's reaction, unexpected as it was. "You're getting ahead of yourself. We haven't even…dated."

"Well, why not?"

"Because I don't even know for sure that Tim feels that way…about me. Right now we're just friends. That's all."

Abby grinned. "Oh, trust me, Kate, Tim likes you. _Really_ likes you. I can tell."

"How? Before I said anything you didn't even know that we..."

"_Duh_, Kate. I have eyes. I know when Tim is attracted to someone."

"Great. That means Gibbs has probably figured it out, too, which brings us to the next problem."

"Rule 12?"

"Yes. I don't want to jeopardize Tim's career by messing up his chances on Gibbs' team. I won't do that to him."

Abby's smile faded somewhat. "Do you want me to talk to Gibbs? I can vouch for Timmy—"

"No, I'll handle it. If I need to." Kate studied Abby's expression. "Are you _sure_ you're OK with this?"

"I'm sure. I mean, Timmy and me, as a real couple? That ship has sailed. I just want him to be happy."

"It didn't really seem that way when he was attracted to Erin Kendall."

Abby ducked her head. "I know. I…I didn't know her, and I was worried about Tim, but…" She looked up at Kate. "I _know_ you, and I trust you. I know you won't hurt him."

"Never."

"Good. So, when are you going to ask him out?"

"Abby!"

"Just saying. The time is right, Kate. Go for it."

Kate smiled as she realized that two of her main worries were assuaged. There was still one large obstacle, but she would deal with that when the time came.

"I think I will."

XXX

Nearly a whole week passed before Kate got a chance to meet with Tim outside of work, but during that time she kept a close eye on him, soon realizing that Abby could be right. She also kept an eye on both Gibbs and Tony, hoping that they hadn't noticed the change in Tim's behavior. Tony didn't seem to be aware—because, if he was, Kate was pretty sure he would have mocked them both—but she could not tell with Gibbs. Occasionally she had seen him studying McGee, especially when he was interacting with Kate herself, but he never gave any indication that what he saw angered or annoyed him. In fact, he seemed almost amused. Kate wasn't sure what to make of his reactions but decided once again that she would simply deal with it when the time came.

Finally Friday rolled around and once the paperwork for their most recent case was finished Gibbs allowed them to leave early. Tony rushed out, claiming once again that he had a date. Gibbs left about thirty minutes later, leaving Tim and Kate alone in the bullpen.

"Coffee?" she asked and he gave her a tired smile.

"How about drinks instead? I really need to get some sleep tonight."

"That works for me. I know of a great place a few blocks from here. You took the bus, right?" Tim nodded. "Then I'll drive. Come on."

They left the Yard and Kate took them to a quiet little restaurant with high-backed, mostly private booths. After the hostess had shown them to their table and handed them menus, she sat back and watched Tim as he perused the choices.

"What are you thinking?" she asked, startling him.

"Oh, uh, wine I think. White, something not too dry. You?"

"Sounds good. How about you chose for us?"

Tim's ears turned slightly pink. "OK."

When the waitress arrived he ordered a glass of the featured pinot grigio for each of them, blushing again as he glanced at Kate for approval, which she gave with a slight smile. After the waitress left, Tim lapsed back into silence, occasionally glancing at Kate and blushing each time her saw her watching him in return.

"Long week," she offered, finally breaking her silence and he nodded, relief flashing across his face.

"Yeah, long week."

"This is nice, getting a chance to relax a little. We should come here more often."

Tim blushed again. "It's…nice." He looked up at her in alarm. "Not that where we usually go isn't nice. It is. Really."

"It is. But sometimes it's nice to…take a chance on something new."

Tim nodded again and glanced at her before quickly looking away, his ears now bright red.

"What's wrong, Tim?"

"Oh, uh, nothing. I'm fine. Everything is fine. Normal."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Yes, I'm sure. Everything is fine."

"Because you look nervous."

"Do I?" he squeaked and immediately his face colored to match his ears.

She carefully placed her hand on top of his. "No need to be nervous, Tim. As you said, everything is fine."

His eyes widened as he studied her and she gave him an encouraging smile. Slowly he started to relax, and his color had almost returned to normal by the time their drinks arrived.

Kate tried the wine and was pleased to find it quite good. Tim looked relieved after he tasted his as well and he finally seemed to be back to his normal level of comfort. Kate started the conversation and soon they fell into their usual routine, although she was keeping a close eye on Tim. He was a little more hesitant than he had been over the past few weeks, and she wasn't sure if he was reacting to her mood, or if there was really something else on his mind.

Half-way through his description of an idea he had for a novel—writing was a hobby he had recently revealed—he paused, blushing slightly as he glanced her way.

"What's wrong, Tim? You've been pretty distracted this evening."

"I, uh…it's nothing, really."

"You know you can tell me anything."

His blushed deepened as he muttered, "Not this."

"Why not?"

"Because…Look, I don't want to mess things up. We…I value our friendship, and-."

"You've realized you want something more."

Tim turned beet red and cast his gaze towards the table top. "I'm sorry…I…I know you don't…see me that way, and…"

"What makes you so sure?"

His head snapped up and he stared at her, clearly shocked. "What?"

"What makes you so sure that I don't want something more, too?"

"You…_what?_"

"Tim, I _like_ you. A lot. And I think you're worth getting to know…at the next level."

Tim stared at her, open-mouthed, for almost a minute before a genuine, beautiful smile appeared on his face. "Really?"

"Really."

Still blushing, he started to lean towards her, and Kate happily met him half way. The kiss was better than she could have ever imagined.

When they finally parted, Kate couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she gazed up at the happy expression Tim wore.

"Wow. Definitely worth it."

Tim grinned at her for several moments before his expression suddenly shifted. "Oh, God. We're…you realize we're breaking—"

"That _damn_ rule. We'll figure it out, Tim." She smirked. "In fact, I think we should have a new rule: what Gibbs doesn't know, can't hurt him."

"I think you mean 'can't hurt _us_.'"

"We'll think of something, but hear this: I will never do anything to hurt you. Do you understand?"

"I'll never do anything to hurt you, either. I promise."

"Good." She squeezed his hand. "Now, how about dinner?"

Several hours later, Kate dropped Tim off at his apartment building. They had agreed to start slow, mainly to give themselves time to figure out how to deal with Gibbs, and Tim give her a quick goodnight kiss before heading up the stairs to his apartment. He waved once before disappearing through the door and Kate guided the car away from the curb, heading back to her own place.

When she arrived, she checked her voice mail and saw that there was a message from an old colleague. Curious, she pressed the button and listened to the message.

"_Hey, Kate, It's Jason Embry. Long time, no see, I know. Listen, is there any chance that we can get together, say, tomorrow? I really need to talk to you. It's nothing bad, don't worry. So give me a call, OK? Bye."_

Kate replayed the message, listening carefully before making her decision. She retrieved her address book and opened it to the E's before dialing the number listed.

"Hey Jason, it's Kate. Fine, thanks. Sure, I've love to get together to catch up. Tomorrow works. Ten? Sixth Street Bistro? Great. I'll see you then..."

TBC…


	4. Chapter 4

Rule Number 12

Chapter 4

Taking a break from reading through the material in the folder, Kate looked up to see Tim approaching and she smiled as she rose to greet him. She immediately saw the hesitation and worry in his expression and pulled him in for a quick kiss, which seemed to ease his anxiety.

"What's going on?" He asked as he sat down across from her and she signaled the waitress to bring more coffee. He noticed the folder sitting on the table and frowned. "What's that?"

"It's…" Kate paused when the waitress arrived and waited for her to finish pouring the coffee. "I think it could be a solution to our problem."

"Problem?" Suddenly his eyes widened. "Oh, _that _problem." He glanced at the folder again. "What is it?"

She handed the folder to him. "It's a job offer. An old colleague wants me to join his private security firm."

"You're leaving?" His panic was painfully obvious.

"Just NCIS, Tim. Not you." She smiled and wrapped her hand around his. "Definitely not you."

"B-but…you love your job."

"I do, but if I do leave, it's not the end of the world. It will just be different." She squeezed his hand. "I haven't made up my mind yet, and I wanted to make sure you'd be OK with it. I know it means we won't see as much of each other, but…"

"We can _see_ each other…without worrying about…"

"Stupid rules."

Tim smiled. "So what is the job, exactly?"

Kate nodded towards the unopened folder in his other hand. "Go ahead and read it."

She released his hand and he opened the folder. He started to read as she took a sip of coffee and after a few moments his eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Wow." He glanced up at her. "The private sector pays more than I expected." He continued to read and sadness flashed across his expression. "A lot of traveling. We really won't see each other much."

"True. But the job is still based in D.C. I'll still be local." She reached out and squeezed his hand again. "We can make it work, if you're willing."

He looked up and gave her one of those gorgeous smiles. "Always."

XXX

On Monday morning Kate arrived early, swinging by HR to retrieve the necessary paperwork to prepare for her departure. She wanted to make sure everything was in order before she faced Gibbs, as she knew talking to him about her decision was going to be a challenge.

By the time both Tim and Tony had arrived she had her resignation letter typed up, printed, and tucked away in a folder in her desk. Tim caught her attention, briefly, and he gave her a questioning look. She smiled and tilted her head towards Gibbs' desk and Tim gave a quick nod of understanding before settling in at his own desk.

Gibbs soon arrived, coffee in hand, and announced that they had a call-out. Kate barely managed to hide a sigh of frustration as she grabbed her backpack and followed the rest of the team to the elevators. Tim was clearly trying to avoid meeting her gaze, something that Tony finally managed to notice.

"OK, Probie. What did you do this time?"

"Nothing, Tony."

"Yeah, right. You're acting guilty."

"No, I'm not, because I haven't done anything."

"Leave him alone, Tony," Kate growled. "If he said he didn't do anything, then he didn't."

"OK, so what did you—" Gibbs reached up and smacked the back of his head. "Sorry, Boss."

Gibbs instructed Tim to ride with Tony in the truck before informing Kate that she'd be riding with him in the sedan. "We'll meet you there."

She gave Tim a quick smile of support and he nodded in return, obviously bracing himself for the onslaught of questions the senior agent would begin as soon as they were on the road.

Kate followed Gibbs to the sedan and climbed in the passenger's seat. After they left the Yard and had merged onto the Beltway, Kate decided it was time to talk to Gibbs. Before she could begin, however, he turned to scrutinize her in a way only Gibbs could.

"Something on your mind, Kate?"

She took a deep breath. "An old co-worker of mine left the Service a few years ago to join the private sector. He works for an international security company. I met with him this weekend and he made me a job offer." She glanced at him, but his expression was unreadable. "I've decided to accept the offer."

Gibbs' eyebrows rose slightly and he chuckled. "And here I thought you were finally going to tell me you're dating McGee."

Kate couldn't hide her shock. "What?"

"You. McGee. Dating."

"But how-?"

"You're good, Kate. But you're not _that_ good."

Fuming, Kate directed her gaze straight ahead, afraid that she'd say something she'd regret…or worse, enjoy way too much.

"Tim…McGee and I are not dating."

Gibbs chuckled again. "For people who aren't dating, you sure spend a lot of time together."

"We're friends."

"Uh huh."

"Alright, look, we're getting off the point: I had a job offer. I'm taking it. I'll have my official letter on your desk as soon as I get back." She glanced at him. "I just wanted to tell you in person, first."

Gibbs remained silent for the next several miles. Finally he spoke.

"Never said I had a problem with you dating McGee."

Kate felt a surge of anger and turned to him. "Oh_, really_? If I remember correctly, you told me if I ever dated someone I worked with I wouldn't get a chance to resign. Your rules, remember?"

Gibbs just shook his head. "Yeah, well, I have those rules for a reason. If that reason doesn't apply…"

"What do you mean?"

"You've kept it out of the office. Wouldn't have known if I hadn't been paying close attention. Besides, that rule exists because those types of relationships usually end badly. The people involved can't even stand to be in the same room." He chuckled. "McGee proved to be the exception."

"You mean…McGee and Abby? You knew about…?"

"He slept in her coffin. Of course I knew."

Kate winced. "I don't think I needed to know that."

That elicited a genuine laugh. "Don't think he did, either. My point is that even though they're no longer dating, they can still get along. That says a lot about McGee." He turned to her, his expression serious. "He's a good man, Kate, and a good agent."

"You don't have to tell me that."

"Good. As long as that doesn't change, I won't have a problem with you two. Just keep it out of the office."

"Gibbs…I already accepted the offer."

"Oh."

"And I didn't just take it because of Tim…or you. It _is_ something I want."

"You want to babysit a bunch of rich businessmen?"

Briefly Kate wondered if he really had been spying on her…or was psychic as Abby always claimed.

"There's more to it than that, Gibbs. It's a really great opportunity."

"I'll take your word for it." They both remained silent until they had reached the crime scene. Once he had parked the car, Gibbs turned to Kate and held out his hand.

"Good luck, Kate."

She felt her chest loosen as she took his hand and shook it, a smile appearing on his face.

"Thank you, Special Agent Gibbs."

XXX

When they returned to the Yard, Kate made another visit to HR to file the paperwork and then she was faced with the task of telling rest of the team that she was leaving. Ducky and Jimmy offered heartfelt congratulations, as did Tim—with an added wink when he was sure no one else was looking—and Tony proceeded with his usual joking comments, although Kate thought she detected a hint of regret in his tone. They only one who was not immediately thrilled for her was Abby, but after Kate took her aside and explained the situation, Abby gave her a very enthusiastic hug and an outpouring of well wishes for the future.

The next two weeks passed quickly, and she was looking forward to a quiet final day on the job.

Until Tony opened an envelope and released a cloud of mysterious white powder in the bullpen.

How she made it through the next few days, Kate was never really sure, but finally they received word that the 'bug' was dead and Tony was going to survive his encounter with a medieval killer. She offered to stay on another week to cover for the senior agent while he recovered-regretting that when Tim told her a few rumors Tony had spread around—but finally the day came when she packed all of her belongings and, at the end of the day, turned in her badge , gun, and ID before walking through the doors for what she expected to be the last time.

That evening, she and Tim got together at her place where they had dinner—Chinese take-out, just for old-time's sake—and settled on the sofa to watch _Spiderman_ which they both mocked mercilessly all the way through the movie and then spent the next couple of hours discussing how they would have done things differently had they been in charge of keeping it true to the comics.

Finally Tim said he had to leave and she drove him home, enjoying the good-bye they shared before he climbed out of her car and leaned down to look in the window.

"Friday night, 8 o'clock, if we aren't stuck on a case?"

"It's a date," Kate replied with a grin. Tim gave her a grin of his own before he headed into his building. Kate drove off, a smile still on her face and already counting down the moments until Friday night.

XXX

Ari Haswari watched the two agents scramble across the rooftop, dodging the hail of bullets in an attempt to foil the terrorist group's plan to send a drone crashing into the pier full of waiting Navy family members. He had expected the agents to succeed, which was also part of _his_ plan, but what he _hadn't_ expected was the absence of one of the team members. That certainly put a damper on his goal to compound Gibbs' misery before he ended the lead agent's life.

Ari took sighted down the scope on his rifle and took careful aim, centering the silver-haired man's previously injured shoulder in his crosshairs. He didn't intend to kill Gibbs, not yet, but a little extra agony was simply another facet in the scheme that was re-forming in his mind.

He slowly exhaled, gently squeezed the trigger, and watched as the agent went down. He saw DiNozzo rush to help his boss, crouching too low to present himself as a target, so Ari turned his attention elsewhere.

He pointed the rifle in a different direction, noting the controller that he had already disabled with a pair of shots and saw that the third agent was still crouched by the sedan, shouting into his headset, clearly asking if his boss was OK.

Ari paused only for a moment before sighting on his new target, one that had escaped his bullet only moments before, and slowly started to pull the trigger.

"Sorry, Timothy…"

TBC…


	5. Chapter 5

Rule Number 12

Chapter 5

Kate stepped through the door to her apartment and quickly locked it behind her, letting out a sigh of relief that she was finally home. It had been a long day and she sincerely hoped she wouldn't have to fill out another form for her new job for quite some time, but at least it was one less thing to do when she started on Monday.

She dropped her purse on the hall stand, kicked off her shoes, and padded barefoot to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee. She had just closed the lid on the coffee maker when the phone rang, startling her. She walked over and checked the caller ID, which came up as 'unknown'. She seriously considered ignoring it—probably a telemarketer, since no one else would be calling her in the middle of the day—but finally on the 4th ring decided to answer.

"Hello?"

There was a pause and then a deep, accented male voice spoke.

"_You're home. Finally. I was becoming concerned."_

Kate felt a twist of unease in her stomach but managed to keep her voice neutral.

"I'm sorry, I think you have the wrong number."

A sigh. "_You don't recognize my voice, Caitlin? I'm disappointed."_

Kate froze, her anxiety increasing. There were only two men that she currently knew who called her by her full name, and this sure as hell wasn't Ducky.

"Ari."

"_You do remember."_

"What do you want?"

"_I must say, I was surprised that you are no longer a member of Gibbs' team. I thought you were much more loyal than that." _

Kate remained silent, ignoring the taunt, and soon she heard a soft chuckle.

"_I had, shall we say, an encounter with your team earlier today. In Norfolk. I confess that I missed you. Other members of your old team were not so lucky."_

For a moment Kate thought her heart had stopped. She struggled to remain calm, but her knees started to shake.

"Who?"

"_Agent Gibbs will survive, although I imagine he will be in considerable pain. A bullet from a sniper rifle leaves a much larger hole than one from a SIG Sauer. Regardless, I only gave him a reminder of our first encounter. Agent McGee, I'm afraid, was not as fortunate."_

All the strength left Kate's legs and she slid down the wall until she was sitting on the floor, the phone clutched in her hand.

"No…"

"_I regret that the situation required such drastic measures, but I am sure Agent McGee's family will take comfort in knowing that he died protecting his country from the likes of me."_

"You _bastard_," Kate whispered as a tear slipped down her cheek.

"_So I have been informed."_

She choked back a sob, her anger rushing to the surface. "Why? Why would you do this?"

"_Because I can. Now I have a question for you, Caitlin. How will you live with the knowledge that you could have taken his place?"_

"You—"

"_Farewell, Caitlin."_ She heard a click, then silence.

"Ari? Ari!" She stared at the receiver for a moment before slamming it on the floor, not noticing the crack that formed in the plastic. She scrambled to her feet, grabbed her purse and shoes, and ran from the apartment, Ari's words echoing in her head.

…_you could have taken his place…_

XXX

Once on the road, Kate realized that she had no idea where she was going. She pulled over and called Abby, trying to casually ask if she knew where the team had gone. Abby was suspicious, Kate could tell, but she gave Kate the information with the promise that she was going to hear why later. Kate absently agreed as she merged back into traffic and headed for Virginia. The rest of the drive to Norfolk passed in a blur.

The faint hope that Ari's call had just been a sick prank vanished as she approached the docks, now packed with police cars, unmarked sedans, and dozens of officers and what she assumed were plain clothed detectives and agents. She worked her way towards the barriers, searching for a familiar face, and finally she caught sight of someone who could answer her questions better than anyone.

"Tony!"

He turned towards her and she gasped as she caught sight of the small spatters of blood on his face and clothes.

"Kate?" He started walking towards her, confusion and some other emotion she couldn't immediately identify in his expression. "What are you doing here?" He spoke to one of the uniformed officers, who let her past the barrier, and guided her out of sight of the crowd of curious onlookers.

"Ari," she answered as soon as they had more privacy. Confusion gave way immediately to anger.

"How did you know that he's-?"

"He _called_ me."

"What? Why?"

"To gloat," she replied, bitterly. "To tell me that he shot Gibbs." She took a deep breath, forcing herself to voice the fact that she hadn't wanted to acknowledge. "To tell me that he k-killed Tim."

Tony glanced around and guided her to an even more sheltered area between two vans before answering.

"He didn't."

"Who didn't what?"

"Ari. He didn't kill McGee." A shadow passed over Tony's face. "Not yet, at least."

Kate froze, unsure she had heard correctly, and unable to immediately process what Tony had said.

"W-what?"

"McGee was shot, Kate, but…he must have moved at the very last second. The bullet…sideswiped his head. It didn't kill him."

Kate gasped, her hand flying to her mouth. "He's…?"

"He was still alive when the medics took him…but it was bad, Kate." Tony paused, suddenly looking very young. "I don't want to lose my Probie… but I just don't know."

Kate struggled to regain her mental footing, still reeling from everything she'd just heard.

"Where is he? Which hospital?"

"They medflighted McGee to Riverside. They took Gibbs by ambulance to the same hospital."

A flash of guilt for not asking about the older man passed through her mind. "How bad was Gibbs?"

"Through and through, but it made a big mess on the way out. Barely managed to keep him from bleeding out, too."

"Damn it." She glanced around, noting that what little activity she could see had not slowed and the crowds had not thinned. "I should…"

"Yeah, go. Ducky's on his way there. He'll be able to tell you more."

"OK. Thanks, Tony."

To her great surprise, he pulled her into a brief but tight hug. "Take care of them for me, Kate."

"I will. And when you're ready to go after Ari, let me know." Her expression hardened. "He's mine."

"I think you'd have to get in line for that," Tony replied, his grin feral. She studied him for a moment and then nodded.

"We'll see."

XXX

Kate found the hospital without too much trouble and soon arrived at the information desk. She realized, a bit late, that she currently lacked any official ID, and that getting the information she needed would be much more difficult.

"Excuse me?" The receptionist looked up. "Two of my…friends were brought here a couple of hours ago: Timothy McGee and Leroy Jethro Gibbs. I need to know their status."

"Friend? Not family?"

"No. I…no."

"And I'm going to guess you're not their medical proxy."

"No, I'm not." Kate barely managed to keep her frustration at bay. "Look, they're both NCIS agents. They were injured during an investigation. I need—"

"I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't release patient information without written consent."

"But I—"

"Caitlin?"

She turned to find a familiar figure approaching. The wall that she had mentally constructed to keep her emotions at bay started to crack and she rushed over to him, wrapping her arms around him in a tight embrace.

"Ducky, I'm so glad you're here."

"But what are _you_ doing here? Who-?"

"Later," she whispered in his ear before stepping back. "Tony sent me over. He said you were on your way, and…"

"Of course, my dear." He stepped up to the desk. "I am Dr. Mallard, Medical Examiner for NCIS and medical proxy for both Agent Gibbs and Agent McGee. I need to know everything about their care, immediately."

"ID?" He handed the woman his wallet and she examined it carefully. "OK. Gibbs and McGee, is that correct?" He nodded and she started typing rapidly. "Agent Gibbs is in recovery. They'll be moving him to a room shortly: Room 545." She hit a few more keys. "Agent McGee is still in surgery…and they've added another shift of OR attendants, so it looks like he'll be in there for quite some time."

"Thank you. Come, Caitlin, let's go check on Jethro."

Kate followed Ducky to the elevator and once the doors had closed he turned to her.

"I'm sure they'd frown upon stopping the elevator here. You'd better hurry."

Kate quickly told Ducky about the phone call, and he let out a rather colorful phrase when she finished.

"I am so sorry, my dear, that you had to experience that. The man's cruelty astounds me."

"He shot two people, Ducky. Nothing he does could surprise me now."

The elevator slowed to a halt and the doors slid open. Kate followed Ducky to the desk and the center of a hub of branching hallways and waited while Ducky gave his information again. A few moments later she was following him down one of the hallways to a room at the far end. The single bed was occupied, and for a moment Kate didn't recognize the man lying there.

Gibbs was pale, almost grey, and the dark circles under his eyes gave him a withered appearance. The shoulder of his gown was open and they could see the bulky bandages encasing it. His eyes were closed but Kate got the distinct impression that he wasn't sleeping.

"Jethro?" Ducky's voice was soft, but Gibbs' lids immediately opened, soon lowering again to half-mast.

"Duck?"

"Indeed. How are you feeling?"

"Need…to get out of here."

"All in good time, my friend. Right now you need to rest."

Gibbs started to sit up but didn't make it very far as Ducky moved forward and gently pressed his torso back down onto the bed. The glare Gibbs gave his friend lacked its usual strength but his struggle to remain upright ceased. His gaze tracked past Ducky and landed on Kate, resting there a few moments before he spoke again.

"Kate? What are you…" Suddenly a flash of rare emotion crossed his face. "McGee…"

"What happened, Gibbs?" Kate had managed to shore up the crack in her wall, but the patch she had used was anger. "How did Tim get shot on _your_ watch?"

"Caitlin!" Ducky admonished, but Gibbs waved off his protest.

"She has…a right…to be mad, Duck." He focused his gaze on Kate. "Sniper. Didn't know…he was there. Didn't shoot until…we stopped the drone."

"Drone?"

"Armed. Aimed at the pier. Full of families…waiting for the fleet."

"Oh my God…"

"McGee…trying to jam the signal. They were shooting at us. Shot the controller." Gibbs winced. "Sniper shot me. McGee was yelling…asking if we were…all right…and then I heard another shot…and he didn't say anything else."

Fighting back tears Kate closed her eyes, almost able to picture those final moments.

"McGee? Is he…?"

"Still in surgery. I shall go check to see if there is an update in his status."

Ducky left and Kate moved closer to Gibbs' bed.

"The sniper was Ari. He called me and told me what he had done." She took a deep breath. "And if I get the chance…"

"No, Kate. If anyone is going to…take him out, it will be me."

"No. This is _my_ fault, Gibbs. I should have killed that bastard when I had the chance."

"He was on our side…wouldn't have ended well for you."

"And letting him live hasn't worked out well for any of us."

Gibbs again tried to sit up and groaned. "What the hell did they give me?"

"Painkillers," Ducky replied as he stepped through the door. "And a sedative to help you sleep, which you need to be doing."

"No. Need to find…Ari."

"There are people working on it, Jethro. We will find him, but it's not worth you risking permanent injury."

"I'll live. McGee?"

"Still alive, and still in surgery."

"Any idea…?"

"I'm afraid not. Right now we'll have to place our trust in his doctors. He's in good hands, my friend. Come, Caitlin, Jethro needs his rest."

Gibbs raised his hand, reaching towards her, and Kate took his hand in her own.

"He'll make it, Kate. He doesn't have permission not to."

"From you?"

Gibbs smiled. "No. From you."

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze. "Get some rest, Gibbs." She released his hand and followed Ducky out of the room. Once they were out in the hall he put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"There's a lounge downstairs where you can wait on Timothy. I'm going to go keep an eye on him for you."

Kate barely managed a smile. "Thanks, Ducky."

They took the elevator down to the second floor and Ducky guided her to a small room lined with semi-comfortable chairs. She lowered herself into one, closed her eyes and started to pray.

XXX

"Caitlin?"

Her eyes snapped open and she immediately sat up, stifling a groan as her muscles protested. She looked up to find Ducky standing over her.

"How is he?"

"Timothy survived the surgery but he's still in critical condition in the ICU. Visits are limited, but I can take you to see him now."

She got to her feet as quickly as she could as he held out a hand to steady her. Once she had regained her equilibrium, she nodded and followed Ducky to the ICU. She paused just outside the door, steeling herself for what she would see before she followed the M.E. into the unit. She bit back a sob when she finally caught sight of Tim in the bed farthest from the door.

Despite her efforts, she wasn't truly prepared for what she was seeing. Tim was surrounded by machines, with tubes and wires snaking their way in and around his body, which lay pale and still on the bed in front of her. The left side of his face was badly bruised and swollen beneath the heavy bandages that encircled his head, but the undamaged side was even paler than Gibbs had been. The only signs that he remained among the living were the slow, steady beep of the heart monitor and the shallow rise and fall of his chest as the ventilator forced air in and out of his lungs. He looked so young, so fragile, that Kate was afraid to even try and touch him.

"Oh, God, Tim. I am _so_ sorry…"

Finally she took a step forward, her hand hovering over his arm before she allowed it to fall and rest on his hand, cool beneath her touch. After several moments, she wrapped her hand around his fingers and gave a gentle squeeze, hoping to get some sort of response.

Nothing.

Several minutes passed before she leaned down and spoke softly near his ear.

"You listen to me, Tim. You are not allowed to give up. Do you understand me?" No response. "You keep fighting. I know you have it in you. Do NOT give up. I'm not losing you. I can't…"

She brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. "I'm going to have to leave soon. I'm going to find the bastard that did this to you, and I'm going to make him pay…for _everything_ he's done." She let the fingers of her left hand rest against his cheek. "And while I'm gone, I'm trusting you, Tim. I'm trusting you to keep fighting. I'm trusting you to wake up." Her voice cracked as she continued. "And I'm trusting you to be here when I get back. Do you understand me, Tim?" She thought she felt just the faintest amount of pressure on the hand wrapped around his and struggled to fight back the tears threatening to flow. "That's it, Tim. You've got it." The pressure did not return. She leaned forward and kissed his forehead, lingering for a moment as she braced herself for what she had to do. "I've got to go now. I…I need you in my life, Timothy McGee. Don't you _ever_ forget that."

Finally she forced herself to release his hand and placed it gently back on the bed before she turned and left the unit. She was not completely surprised to find Gibbs waiting for her in the hallway, dressed in scrubs and his arm in a sling. He was still pale, but clearly determined.

"You ready?" he asked and she nodded, grimly.

"Let's go."

TBC…


	6. Chapter 6

Rule Number 12

A/N: This chapter contains quite a bit of dialog from _Kill Ari, Part I _and_ Part II_. No infringement is intended.

Chapter 6

_Tony ran across the rooftop, crouching low and weaving to avoid the gunfire volleying across the space. He managed to take out several of the shooters as he stayed on Gibbs' six, protecting the lead agent as much as he could. Finally they managed to kill the man running the controls and Gibbs, in his indeterminable style, destroyed the controller for the drone that McGee hadn't managed to stop._

"_Looks like we did it, Boss."_

_Before Gibbs could reply his shoulder exploded in a red mist, splattering Tony before the lead agent dropped to the ground. He rushed to help the injured man, ignoring the shouted questions from McGee over his com as he peeled off his jacket and used it to apply pressure to the gaping wound in the top of Gibbs' shoulder._

"_**Boss? Tony? Are you—"**__ The crack of a gunshot echoed through the storage yard, causing Tony to flinch and duck behind the wall._

"_Sniper. Where is he?"_

_Gibbs groaned. "Tell McGee…call for backup."_

"_McGee? McGee? Do you read me?" _

_Silence. _

"_Tim!" _

_Nothing. _

"_Damn it, answer me!" He turned to Gibbs and froze when he saw the look on the older man's face, the reality of McGee's silence finally sinking in. "No…"_

"_Go check, Tony."_

"_Boss…"_

_Gibbs raised his arm to press Tony's jacket against his shoulder. "I got it. Go."_

_Tony crept across the room, wondering if he'd even hear the shot if it took him out, and finally made to the stairwell. He dashed down the stairs and slowly opened the door, waiting for another volley of gunfire. _

_Nothing. _

_Tony peeked around the door and saw the sedan…and the pair of brown corduroy-clad legs stretched out on the ground on the other side._

"_Oh God…McGee…"_

_He bolted from the doorway and soon reached the other side of the sedan to the still form of his partner, blood seeping from the wound on his head. Bracing himself, Tony reached down and felt for a pulse._

_Nothing._

XXX

Tony jerked awake with the start, the remnants of the nightmare still fresh in his mind. _Just a dream…_

In reality he had been able to detect McGee's heartbeat, prompting him to call for an ambulance and for help from any agents in the area. He had waited with McGee, and they were soon joined by Gibbs-who collapsed as soon as he reached them—and spent the time until the ambulance arrived trying to keep them both alive.

After Kate had left, Tony had taken the gathered evidence back to NCIS. Breaking the news to Abby had been one of the hardest things he'd ever done. He had been wary of leaving her alone…which turned out to be a good thing, and he was there to protect her when the sniper—Ari, according to Kate—tried to take out another member of his team. A full night of gathering more evidence and standing guard over Abby while she worked to determine the source of the bullets had left him exhausted, and thus had led to him falling asleep at his desk…until the nightmare woke him.

Tony rubbed his face and glanced over at McGee's desk, empty and silent. After a few moments he had the distinct sensation that he was not alone and looked up to see a dark-eyed woman, her nearly black hair wrapped in a green scarf, silently watching him.

"Sorry, I didn't notice you there. I was…daydreaming."

"Not good dreams, I take it?"

"No. Who are you?"

She pulled out an ID wallet and showed him the contents. "Ziva David. Mossad."

"You're Israeli?"

"Very good, the way you made that connection: Mossad, Israeli."

"What can I do for you, Ms. David?"

"I am here to see Agent Gibbs. He is the lead agent for the MCRT, yes?"

"Right now he's incapacitated. What do you need?"

"I understand you are hunting Ari Haswari."

"We are."

"Then I am here to protect a fellow Mossad officer."

"He shot Gibbs and McGee, so I very seriously doubt anyone can protect him now."

"Where is your evidence?"

"Down in the lab, being analyzed by our forensic scientist…that he also tried to kill."

"He would not have done that. You are being manipulated."

"Looks like I'm not the only one."

Before she could respond Tony was distracted by the sight of Gibbs, immediately followed by Kate, walking across the catwalk from the elevator to MTAC. Ziva followed his gaze.

"I thought Agent Gibbs was 'incapacitated'," she remarked as Gibbs and Kate disappeared through the doors into MTAC.

"Well, nothing ever keeps him down for long. Looks like he's busy, though. You'll have to wait."

"Fine." She started towards the desk next to Tony and he moved to block her path.

"That's McGee's desk."

"McGee? The agent who was shot?"

"Yeah."

"But he is not expected to—"

"Doesn't matter."

"Fine." She headed for the desk across from him.

"That's Kate's desk."

"Well is there anywhere I can sit?"

Tony flipped his trash can over and set it in the middle of the bullpen. "There you go."

"I think I will stand."

"Suit yourself."

Tony pretended to return to his work while keeping an eye on the woman standing a few feet away and wondered what was going on in the secure room above him.

XXX

"Gibbs. Shouldn't you be in the hospital?" Morrow asked as Gibbs and Kate entered the dimly lit room.

"I'm fine."

"Agent McGee?"

"Alive, but he's in a coma. Ducky's keeping an eye on him."

"I see." Morrow's gaze slid past Gibbs and landed on Kate. "Former Agent Todd. To what do we owe the pleasure?"

"I need her re-instated. She knows Haswari better than anyone on my team," Gibbs declared.

Morrow shook his head. "What is your evidence that he was even involved in the shootings?"

"Because he told me," Kate answered. "He called and told me that he had shot Gibbs and that he had killed McGee."

"Thankfully he was mistaken. Are you sure it was him?"

"Yes."

"How?"

She glanced at Gibbs. "My gut. And I recognized his voice. It was him."

Morrow sighed. "Unfortunately we'll need more than that before we can detain a Mossad operative working undercover in Hamas."

"Don't worry. We'll get that evidence. Abby's working on the casings left at the scene now."

"It's also not my decision."

"What do you mean?"

"I've been offered a Deputy Director's position at Homeland Security. "

"You'd leave NCIS, sir?"

"The agency needs new blood." He turned to a figure seated in a shadowy corner. "Meet your new director."

The figure stood and moved into the light. Kate saw that it was a woman, not much older than herself, with dark red hair twisted into a bun.

"Nice to see you again, Jethro."

"Jen?"

"Director Shepard." She turned to Kate. "I understand you left the agency to enter the private sector, Ms. Todd. Why do you want to return now?"

"Because I want to stop Ari before he…kills someone."

"You truly believe he's behind this? And not someone else playing games or creating a distraction?"

"I do."

"And you're certain you can get the physical evidence to back that up."

"We will."

The new director turned to Gibbs. "Well, seeing as you're a man down…" Kate winced, which did not go unnoticed, "I can agree to a temporary re-assignment. It least until we get a TAD in to…cover for Agent McGee."

"Thank you."

Kate glanced at Gibbs, who was still looking a little shell-shocked as he stared at his new boss. She gave him a hard look and he finally turned his attention away from the red-haired woman.

"Good. Come on, Kate. Let's get started on finding this bastard." He nodded at Shepard. "Madam Director."

Kate registered the anger on the other woman's face before she followed Gibbs out of MTAC.

"Agent Gibbs!"

Both turned and waited as she joined them on the landing.

"On the job, it's Director Shepard, or ma'am."

"And off the job?"

"There won't any 'off the job', Jethro."

"Understood, _ma'am_."

Gibbs continued down to the bullpen and walked over to Tony's desk, giving the strange woman standing there a quick once over. She breezed past him and met the director at the bottom of the stairs, where they greeted each other like old friends.

"Hey Boss, Kate. How's McGee?"

"Surviving." He tilted his head towards the two women by the stairs and raised his eyebrows.

"Mossad. Trying to stop us from killing Ari. Yours?"

"Director. The same."

"Director of what?"

"NCIS," Kate replied, and Tony let out a short bark of laughter.

"You're kidding." She glared at him and he managed to appear contrite.

"Now what?"

"Connect Ari to the shootings. Hard evidence. Gotta make the new boss happy."

Before Tony could reply, the two women joined them.

"Agent Gibbs, Ziva David. Mossad."

She reached out to shake his hand. "Director Shepard has spoken often of you."

"Really?"

"Ziva and I worked anti-terrorist ops since 9/11." She turned to Tony, who was staring openly at her. "Yes, I really am the new NCIS director."

Gibbs ignored the exchange. "So, Officer David, what's your connection to Ari?"

"I am his control officer."

"He's not in control now," Kate snapped, earning her a cool smile from the younger woman.

"What evidence do you have that he is not?"

Kate recounted the phone call she had received the day before and a very brief flash of uncertainty crossed Ziva's face before she regained control.

"How can you be certain it was him? Someone could be simply…pulling your rope."

"She means 'yanking your chain'," the director added. "And she's right. Or maybe he is being set up."

"If that's the case, you still have a problem."

"I have received no indication that his cover has been compromised, but if you insist on pursuing this, that could very well happen."

"Yeah, well, if nothing else, he set us up. He led us to that warehouse."

"Yes, he did. You found him through a GPS fix off his encrypted cell phone. He wanted you to know the terrorists' location so you could stop the missile instead of him, which would have necessitated blowing his cover."

"Only an NSA satellite can GPS an encrypted phone. Ari didn't know I had that asset."

"You give him less credit than he gives you. Who hung up first, you or him? Ari knows a fix takes only 19 seconds. When Sharon visited Bush, Ari's Hamas cell kidnapped Agent Todd. Why didn't he kill her instead of freeing her to warn the Secret Service?"

"I don't know. Why don't you arrange a meet, and he can tell me?"

"Ari Haswari is a Mossad operative undercover in Hamas. He hasn't turned on us or you. He didn't shoot you or Agent McGee.

"Gibbs, even if you're right, we owe them proof."

"That's all we ask. Do not condemn the wrong man."

"We're not," Kate snapped.

"You better be damn sure of that, Agent Todd. Ziva, assure your deputy director that, even though Ari Haswari is a suspect, no action will be taken unless we have evidentiary proof. Proof before action."

Ziva nodded and smiled, excusing herself to make a call.

"Gibbs, I know you want justice for your agent, but be reasonable. Get the proof you need to find the one who really committed these crimes."

"Yes, Director Shepard."

She sent him a glare and headed back upstairs.

"Now what?"

"Dinozzo, tail Ziva. She's been in contact with Ari. How else would she know who hung up first?"

"On it, Boss."

"What about-?"

"With me, Kate. We're going to see Abby."

Kate followed Gibbs down to the lab, where she was immediately wrapped in a hug by the forensic scientist.

"Kate, I'm so glad to see you!" She stepped back to study Kate's expression. "How's Timmy?"

"He's alive. He's…fighting."

"What do you got, Abbs?"

She turned to the lead agent. "You should be in the hospital, Gibbs."

He gave her a one-armed hug. "After we catch him, Abbs."

"And we will. I checked the bullets and compared them to the FBI database, which gave me six weapons whose rifling patterns fit the bullets you recovered. I've been able to eliminate all but three-two SWAT weapons; the Tango 51 and the Bravo 51. And this..."

"My old friend. A Marine M-40 A-1 sniper rifle." A dark look passed over his face as he glanced at Kate. "I'd start with the Bravo 51." He picked up one of the jars of bullets. "Your test rounds?" She nodded. He picked up another. "From the sniper. Lapua, .308, boat-tail, full metal jacket. Same rounds I used as a Marine sniper. Your rounds show more gouging than Ari's. He was hand-loading and moly-coating."

Abby looked impressed. "You are so good!"

"Moly-coating?" Kate asked as she stared at the bullets and tried not to think where they had been."

"Molybdenum disulfide. It's a lubricant. It decreases barrel wear and increases accuracy."

"Kate, run a trace on Tango and Bravo 51 sales last six weeks, Tri-State area. Check the Bravo first. Don't leave the building, and stay away from the windows. You're still in danger. Ari was planning on targeting you first, and he might still be ready to take another shot."

"Why do you say that?"

"You know what a sniper calls a Bravo 51?"

"No."

"A 'Kate'."

"Oh, God…"

"Stay here, Kate. I'll be back."

"Gibbs, you shouldn't be going anywhere, either. He's targeting you, too."

Gibbs just gave her a half-smile and left.

"Why does he do that?"

"He's Gibbs." Abby grabbed Kate's hands. "Are you going to be OK?"

"Ask me when Ari's on one of Ducky's tables. Until then…let's get to work."

XXX

Kate sat and listened in disbelief as the evidence against Ari being the sniper was presented: from Ducky, Abby, Tony, and finally Jenny Shepard. She couldn't understand how everything had gone wrong with the case, but the hard evidence they thought they had had seemingly evaporated with the death of the man whom everyone else outside of Gibbs' team believed was responsible for Gibbs' and McGee's injuries. After the director had finished her speech and returned to her office, Kate turned to Gibbs.

"What did we do wrong?"

"Nothing. You and I both know this is a distraction. It's a set-up. This guy that they pinned it on, it makes no sense. How did he know Jen…the Director was in the car? Why did he only shoot at her side? I called her at the spur of the moment. I parked in the dark. He couldn't see through our windshield, even with a scope. That guy was sent to die, not to kill."

"Why?"

"Hamas suicide bombers blow themselves up all the time. You know this. It doesn't matter how a martyr dies, as long as it's for the jihad. Mohammed, last night he died for rivers of honey and 72 virgins."

"So what do we do?"

"Kill him before he kills us." Gibbs checked his watch. "I've got a meeting. Be here when I get back, all right?"

"All right."

Gibbs left, and Kate called to check on Tim. All they could tell her was that there was improvement in his cranial pressure, and that he was showing minor signs of increased awareness, although he was still critical and in a coma.

Next she called Jason. He was horrified when she told him what had been happening, and told her to take what time she needed. The job would wait.

Finally she leaned back in her chair and tried to relax a little, but she couldn't. Her intuition was gnawing at her, telling her something very bad was about to happen, and she had no idea how to stop it.

A few hours later Gibbs returned, still slightly damp from the recent heavy rains and smiling in triumph.

Kate felt a flood of relief, hiding her worry behind anger as she rose to confront him.

"Where have you been?"

"I was watching a movie."

XXX

Kate listened as Gibbs tried to convince Ziva of Ari's duplicity. She was surprised when Ziva finally agreed that they needed to investigate, and was even more surprised when Gibbs outlined his plan.

Four hours later the two women were both crouched at the top of Gibbs' basement steps, listening to Gibbs confront Ari.

"I want you to know, I wish I hadn't had to shoot Timothy."

"Why did you?"

"To cause you pain."

"What about Kate? She was your original target."

"She was. Again, because it would have caused you pain."

"Did I really piss you off that much?"

"Not you. My father. You had the misfortune of reminding me of the bastard…"

Kate winced as she listened to Ari describe just why he had hated his father so much, although she felt no real sympathy for him. The emotions she had experienced in Autopsy so long ago we gone.

Soon Ari started to describe the end he intended for Gibbs, and Kate raised her pistol, noting that Ziva had done the same.

"I've killed enough men in my life, Ari. It's going to be just as sweet watching you die."

"Sorry to spoil your..." Twin gunshots shattered the night, creating two dark red, nearly overlapping holes in the forehead of the man aiming a rifle at Gibbs. Her ears ringing from the loud retort of two pistols, Kate didn't hear the impact of Ari's body with the cold cement floor.

Kate lowered her pistol and watched as Ziva slowly made her way down the stairs, and listened in horror as she confessed her ties to the would-be assassin. Kate turned and slowly made her way to Gibbs' living room where she sank onto the sofa, the gun falling from her fingers onto the worn carpet with a soft thump.

Soon Gibbs appeared in the doorway and walked over to the sofa where he sat down next to her and put his good arm around her shoulder.

"It's over, Kate."

She felt a tear slip down her cheek as she rested her head on his shoulder.

"Not for everyone…"

TBC…


	7. Chapter 7

Rule Number 12

Chapter 7

_***one week later***_

Kate quietly watched the silent, still figure on the bed, happy with the small improvements he had made over the course of the past few days, yet sadly aware of how far he had to go. Three days ago the doctors had administered a spontaneous breathing test which Tim had passed, much to everyone's relief, and they had been able to take him off the ventilator. The swelling in his face had gone down to the point where he finally started to resemble how he had appeared before he was shot, and his cranial pressure was also at normal levels. His vital signs were getting stronger every day, as were his GCS scores, indicating increased awareness. The doctors were hopeful but Kate guarded her optimism. She wasn't sure she was lucky enough to have something go right and she hated that feeling, although not as much as she hated to see Tim in his current state.

"How is he?"

She turned to find Gibbs standing a few feet away and managed a weak smile.

"They tell me he's getting better. Sometimes I think he's waking up and he knows I'm here…" She sighed, closer to a sob than she wanted to admit. "And sometimes he seems to be regressing." She studied the older man for a few moments, noting that his arm was still in a sling. "How are you doing?"

"Managing. Stuck on desk duty, thanks to Director Shepard. Working cold cases. Keeping DiNozzo out of trouble."

"That's a full time job right there."

"Yep." Gibbs moved closer to Tim's bed and let his gaze pass slowly over the young man's still form. "He looks better."

"Yes, he does, but…"

"You just want him to wake up and be McGee again."

"Yes. I do. More than anything."

"Why did you pick him?"

"What?"

"To date. What made you pick McGee?"

She paused, considering her answer to the unexpected question. "I picked Tim because he is the most…decent man I have ever met. He's kind. He's so smart. He…makes me feel like I'm discovering so many things for the first time, every time we talk. He…doesn't have that cynicism that the rest of us do…and he still believes people can be good… Something I'm having hard time accepting right now."

"Do you know why I picked him?"

"No."

"Because he doesn't give up. Remember that, Kate. He doesn't give up, and neither should you."

Kate laughed softly. "I never realized you were such a romantic, Gibbs."

"I have my moments."

"Yes, you certainly do."

They watched Tim for several minutes, both looking for evidence that he was rejoining the waking world. Nothing changed, but Kate started to feel a faint glimmer of hope. She wasn't yet sure how justified that feeling would be in the coming days, but for the first time since Ari's call, the tension in her chest started to loosen.

"They tell me he's stable enough to transfer to Bethesda, and they've arranged to move him there tomorrow. He'll be closer to home, at least."

"That's something." He titled his head and studied her. "What about you? Are you ready to come back home?"

Kate sighed. "No, Gibbs. I'm not going back to NCIS. I can't. I need…"

"A fresh start?"

"Something like that."

"OK. I hear you. But if you ever change your mind…"

"I'll know where to find you."

He nodded, but his smile was sad. "Good luck, Kate."

"Thanks, Gibbs."

He left, and she returned her attention to Tim, surprised to find that his eyes were open. She leaned in close, hoping to draw a response.

"Tim? Can you hear me?"

Tim continued to stare straight ahead, his gaze fixed on a spot somewhere across the room. She squeezed his hand, trying to draw him out more, but he did not return the gesture. Finally his eyes closed again without him ever acknowledging her pleas. She released his hand and let it rest on the bed. He didn't move.

"I know you're getting there, Tim. Gibbs says you don't give up, and he's right. So you keep working on it. OK?" She wiped her eyes. "I'll see you tomorrow."

The next day, after her first full day at her new job, she made the trip to Bethesda to make sure Tim was settled in. He remained generally unresponsive, even though his eyes were open again for a few moments while she was there, but Kate thought she saw the faintest change in his focus when she leaned into his line of sight.

Kate visited him every night and each time she thought she detected changes in his awareness although he still remained silent. Kate had realized just how much she missed listening to him, but nothing she did seemed to bring him out of his isolation.

After a full week on the job Kate was exhausted. She briefly considered foregoing her visit but a flash of guilt at the thought convinced her to make her usual trip, although she did decide to keep it brief. She made her way to Tim's room and noticed that his eyes were open again. Now used to that occurrence, she settled in next to him, her hand around his and started to tell him about her day.

As she neared the end of her tale she realized that Tim was gripping her fingers, albeit weakly. She smiled, understanding that the action was another indication of improved awareness, and accepted it as another small step in Tim's slow progress toward full consciousness. She allowed herself to look directly into his eyes, expecting to see the now familiar vacant gaze and was startled to find that he was staring back.

"Tim?"

He blinked.

"Tim, can you hear me?"

He blinked again and slowly a faint, puzzled expression appeared in his eyes.

"…Kate?"

His voice was so soft and raspy she almost missed the response. Her eyes started to sting with unshed tears as she leaned closer.

"I'm here, Tim."

He continued to stare at her, and for a moment Kate worried that he had slipped back into unconsciousness again.

And then he smiled.

"Tim?" She brushed her other hand over his cheek. "Are you with me?" The response was music to her ears.

"Always…"

XXX

_***four months later***_

"Are you ready to go?"

"Just a minute."

Kate waited patiently for Tim to join her so she could give him a ride to the Yard. He had finally been cleared for desk duty, and Kate had been overjoyed to bring him to his first official day back at work. She would be leaving on a business trip the following day for a month-long project, the longest stretch of time that they would be apart since Tim had awoken from his coma, so Kate wanted to make sure she spent as much time with him as she could before then.

Finally he emerged from his bedroom, carrying a notepad that he set on his writing desk. He walked over to embrace her and she hugged him tightly, enjoying the feel of his strong arms around her as she rested her head on his chest.

"You ready for this?"

"As I'll ever be."

Tim had worked hard to recover from his injuries and get himself back into shape to rejoin the MCRT. The new director had agreed with Gibbs' request to keep Tim's spot on the team open for his eventual return, much to Tim's relief, although she had made one change to the team that Tim had not yet encountered.

"Tell me again, why did Director Shepard assign a Mossad officer to a criminal investigation team?"

"I have yet to figure that out, but apparently the director believes she will be useful. I guess you'll have to wait and see."

"I guess."

"Are you going to be able to work with her, considering her connection to Ari?"

Tim considered the question carefully. "I think so. From what everyone told me, she was just as deceived by Ari as the rest of us. Everyone makes mistakes."

"Yeah." She reached up and brushed her fingers over the scar on Tim's temple. "And mistakes can have far-reaching consequences. If I had just-"

"Kate, you know I don't blame you for any of this. Please stop blaming yourself. I'm OK."

"I know. But don't ask me to forget how close I came losing you."

"I won't. But don't forget you still have me."

She smiled. "I won't."

"Come on, we're going to be late. I don't imagine Gibbs will forgive that, no matter the reason."

"No, probably not."

Tim followed her out to her car and they headed for the Yard. Once on the road, Kate turned to Tim.

"What were you working on? When I got there?"

Tim started to turn pink. "Oh, uh, nothing much. Just a…crazy idea I had."

"Well, what was it?"

"You, uh, remember that I was thinking about starting a novel? Before…all this happened?"

"I do."

"Well, I was thinking…since you like to draw, and I like to write…maybe we could work together on a graphic novel. Just for, you know, a hobby. What do you think?"

"I think…that could be a lot of fun, Tim."

He grinned, an expression that smoothed out some of the lines on his face he had gained since the shooting, making him look much more like his old self.

Kate reached over and squeezed his hand, smiling when he returned the gesture. "So, what will this 'graphic novel' be about?"

"I, uh, I'm not sure yet."

"So what about the characters? What are they going to be like?"

"Well, you know we'll have to have a hero…or a superhero…but I have an idea for that."

"Oh really? What are they going to be like?"

"I was thinking…it would be really cool to have a female lead." He gave her a shy smile. "Someone like you."

"Me? You think I could be the inspiration for a…superhero?"

"You've always been my superhero, Kate."

It was Kate's turn to blush. "You are such a flatterer, Tim."

His expression grew serious. "It's the truth, Kate. I really don't know what I would have done without you these past few months…and before. You saved me. In more ways than one." A flash of anguish crossed his face. "I'm not looking forward to not having you around for the next few weeks. I'm really going to miss you, Kate."

"I'll miss you, too. But you know, a month isn't that long. I'll be back before you know it. And then we'll have plenty of time to spend together."

"It's long enough." Suddenly his eyebrows shot up as he realized there was a plus side. "You know what? It does mean I could give you a great welcome-back party."

"A party?" Kate sounded skeptical as she guided the car into a parking space and turned to face him.

"OK, maybe not." He grinned. "We make it a date. Just the two of us. How does it that sound? Next month, when you get back: you, me, romantic dinner? What do you say?"

Kate smiled as she leaned towards him to show her appreciation of the idea. "I wouldn't miss it for the world."

The End


End file.
